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Make a toy frog

This gorgeous frog has a vintage feel and is so easy to make. Filled with rice or grains, he is solid and squishy and can be used in a variety of games. He may even become your child’s favourite froggy friend. Make several to use as gifts or for preschool fundraisers. Buy new fabric or repurpose some old sheets or clothes.

This is a great beginner hand-sewing project for your child once he or she has mastered using a needle and thread, or you can take charge of the sewing yourself and let your child do the stuffing.

What you need:

Paper, pencil, scissors

Two small pieces of coordinating fabric 20cm by 20cm

Sewing pins

Disappearing ink fabric marker

Needle and thread

Chopstick or pencil

Two buttons

Rice, barley or birdseed for stuffing

Activity:

Make a template by drawing your frog shape onto a piece of paper. When you are happy with it, draw a line vertically up the middle and cut around the outline. Your template should now be half a frog.

Fold one fabric piece in half and place the template upon it with the centre line of the frog flush against the fold of the fabric. Pin in place. Using a disappearing ink fabric marker, draw around the template once, and then a second time 0.5cm from the first line. This will be your seam allowance. Cut your fabric on this line.

Repeat with the second piece of fabric.

Place the two pieces of fabric together, right sides together. Starting on one side of the head, stitch the pieces together on the fabric marker line (which should be 0.5cm in from the edge of the fabric) and work your way around the body until you get to the other side of the head. Leave a gap of about 4cm.

Turn your frog inside out, using the blunt end of a pencil or chopstick to push out the arms and legs. On the top of the frog’s head, stitch the two buttons in place for eyes.

Fill the frog with your choice of stuffing. Use a slip stitch to hand-sew the opening firmly closed.

Notes

You can use a sewing machine to sew the frog if you prefer. You will still need to hand-sew the opening, however.

If the frog will be used by very young children, embroider on eyes with coloured thread rather than using buttons.

For a softer frog, you can use fibrefill or wool stuffng instead of rice.

Experiment with different fabrics – try a thick corduroy or velvet, or maybe recycle a linen tea towel or vintage napkin.

This craft was created by Greer Worsley. Greer blogs at Typically Red.